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Former All Blacks highlight three players demanding Dave Rennie's attention


WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - MAY 03: Leroy Carter of the Chiefs looks on prior to the round 12 Super Rugby Pacific match between Hurricanes and Chiefs at Sky Stadium, on May 03, 2025, in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
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With Dave Rennie’s first All Blacks squad under seven days away from being named, three former All Blacks have discussed three players who are timing their run to perfection.

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Rennie, his coaching staff, and NZR Chair David Kirk will name the 34-man squad for the three Nations Championship fixtures in New Zealand starting on July 4 against France.

The squad will be named on Monday, June 22, at 12pm NZT at Feilding Yellows Rugby Club, two days after the Super Rugby Pacific final between the Hurricanes and the Chiefs in Wellington.

The Sky Sport Breakdown panel of Jeff Wilson, Mils Muliaina, and Stephen Donald all picked one player that has stood out in recent weeks, staking their claim for Rennie’s first All Blacks squad.

Wilson believes that Du’Plessis Kirifi is one big game away from really putting pressure on Rennie to include him in his 34-man squad.

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“I’ve been doing this for 18 months, Du’Plessis Kirifi, because I want the biggest players to perform in the biggest stage, and he was really good at open side,” Wilson said on The Breakdown.

“This is a congested area for the All Blacks, and we know that so much of it comes down to where Dave Rennie sees Ardie Savea and what position he might play.

“But what I saw, was I think him and Peter Lakai just working as a tandem, every ruck was under threat, and I think he got unlucky a couple of times, he was over the ball and got pinged.

“Anytime you’ve got his sort of determination, his ability to support players, conditioning, look, yep, he got a little bit of a taste of it last year, he’ll be better for that, whether he can force his way into the squad, he might just need one big game, and it could be this coming week.”

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Another one of the loose-forwards who certainly is in and around Rennie’s selection discussions is Simon Parker, a hard-nosed No.6 that Muliaina believes could bring an edge to the loose-forward mix.

“You’re right, it is congested, and a guy for me, particularly on the weekend that really stood up is Simon Parker,” the former All Black centurion said.

“His stocks have really stood up, but I think with his abilities, he’s big-bodied, he carries hard, and also once again, when you’ve got a Jacobson on the other side, the trio, the mix of that sort of the trio is, as I said, it’s mouth-watering stuff.”

Donald, a former Rugby World Cup-winning first-five for the All Blacks, pinpoints Chiefs winger Leroy Carter as a player who is coming into form when it matters.

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“If you’re talking about stocks, it would have been easy to sell your stocks on Leroy Carter. His first touch of the game was that and if there was any question about if he was sluggish or coming back from a hamstring, when you do something like that at that pace at his feet,” Donald said about Carter.

“He played centre for most of game, and yes, he might not be at an All Black centre today, but it’s easy to forget that he was a mainstay, as far as that wing position in the All Blacks goes.

“There’s been a lot of people pop up this year, as far as the wings go, but geez, for 50 minutes, after being out for so long, it’s very impressive.”

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B
Blackmania 3 hours ago

Kirifi… I’m not sure. Segner has put his hand up this year. But when I watch the semifinal, wow, Kirifi was absolutely immense for the full 80 minutes and completely shut Segner down. I don’t know…Jacobson has been very good as well. Not everyone will get picked. A very difficult choice for Rennie.


I think Parker will be there. He operates at a higher work rate than Finau. Even if he’s not particularly quick, he gets through a huge amount of work. He played a few games last year under difficult circumstances. We’ll see him in the black jersey again. He’ll be in the 34-man squad.


As for Leroy Carter, he’s coming back at exactly the right time and we all know the tempo he brings. He can even cover scrum-half. Graham Henry highlighted his versatility, and that wasn’t by chance. I can definitely see him making the 34. I think Fihaki will be the bolter because he ticks all the boxes for the international game. He defends well, he’s tall and comfortable under the high ball, has a big boot, and he’s quick, even if he’s not Tangitau-level quick. He’ll be there.


And despite his team’s collapse, he was very good last Friday.


So I don’t see Moorby getting called up. Nor Fineanganofo, for that matter.


For me, there’s also a big question mark over Rieko Ioane and Leicester Fainga’anuku. They can’t all be there. Right now, isn’t Kini Naholo actually a better option to provide cover for Caleb Clarke?

D
DC 6 hours ago

i think all 3 players have been on the selectors list and it has ben good to see parker more than just a blind side carter has been good as well

K
Karlos G 6 hours ago

Yeah look, l’d take Segner over Karifi and that gives you your lineout man as well as jackaling and making good metres with his carries, Simon Parker gets the nod but l’m not so sure about Carter at lnternational level, Josh Moorby for a bolter!

A
Andrew Nichols 10 hours ago

Kirifi will cause a hole in the AB lineout. At just 1.81m he’s up against starting 7s internationally of close to 2m height….and dont give me that Bok…He comes on with 15 min to go and does a mad cap cameo. He would never start.

S
SC 5 mins ago

5, 4, 6, and 8 should be your jumpers in that order at test level.


That being said, my preferred 7s in order would be Lakai, Jacobson, Segner, Kirifi.


Savea has the body type and athleticism of a 7 but plays as a 8. Savea is a ball carrier, not a cleaner and not a tackler.

c
cnw 2 hours ago

By that Bok do you mean Kwagga Smith at 181 cm?

A
Another 6 hours ago

Springboks starting loose forwards’ heights:


Siya Kolisi - 1.86m

Jasper Weise - 1.89m

Pieter Steph du Toit: 2.00m


And, for the record, a SA No.7 is not playing in the Open Side position. False comparison.

I
Icefarrow 8 hours ago

And? That's why you have two locks, and a tall 6.

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